Some "LEO" practice sessions use hard / 'dead' (no-bounce) rubber balls for reduced cost and improved safety with no-bounce...I got some to try in my .40cal Flintlock at the tme and they were fantastic.
03/15/08 - Range Report
.40cal Flintlock using hard rubber ‘LEO’ practice balls to see how they’d perform as a possible lead ball substitute if lead became very expensive, unavailable, banned, etc.
These hard rubber balls are a perfect match for a .40cal muzzleloader…not pretty close to perfect, not close enough to perfect…they are a perfect match for a .40cal rifle!
The balls only weigh 15 grains and are made of “dead” rubber…no bounce, very safe.
They’re listed as .43cal but mic .410” and are extremely consistent in diameter
Can almost thumb start them with a .015” patch in my GM .40cal but not quite…they compress enough and start fine with a short starter and are a good snug fit.
Tested with 30grns Goex 3F at 25yds, sitting in a chair with my off elbow braced down on my side…they’re very accurate and consistent…target has 50 shots through it.
Also, somebody had left a couple ¼ empty 16oz bottles of mountain dew at the range, so I set them up at 25yds, and the balls went through the front plastic walls, through the liquid, and made outward projecting star-bursts of plastic on the back side walls but evidently didn’t have quite enough ‘oomph’ to get on through and the balls stayed inside the bottles so I was able to retrieve them both…they are in the photo…still in just as pristine a condition as brand new in spite of having been fired and punching through a bottle of liquid.
At only 15grns and made of no-bounce dead rubber, these are outstanding for close range practice at a range, in your back yard, etc… and could easily be captured in a home made or commercial bullet trap like those made for .22cals…based on the lack of any signs these two had been fired from a rifle and gone through drink bottles, my assumption is that they could be reused virtually indefinitely.
03/15/08 - Range Report
.40cal Flintlock using hard rubber ‘LEO’ practice balls to see how they’d perform as a possible lead ball substitute if lead became very expensive, unavailable, banned, etc.
These hard rubber balls are a perfect match for a .40cal muzzleloader…not pretty close to perfect, not close enough to perfect…they are a perfect match for a .40cal rifle!
The balls only weigh 15 grains and are made of “dead” rubber…no bounce, very safe.
They’re listed as .43cal but mic .410” and are extremely consistent in diameter
Can almost thumb start them with a .015” patch in my GM .40cal but not quite…they compress enough and start fine with a short starter and are a good snug fit.
Tested with 30grns Goex 3F at 25yds, sitting in a chair with my off elbow braced down on my side…they’re very accurate and consistent…target has 50 shots through it.
Also, somebody had left a couple ¼ empty 16oz bottles of mountain dew at the range, so I set them up at 25yds, and the balls went through the front plastic walls, through the liquid, and made outward projecting star-bursts of plastic on the back side walls but evidently didn’t have quite enough ‘oomph’ to get on through and the balls stayed inside the bottles so I was able to retrieve them both…they are in the photo…still in just as pristine a condition as brand new in spite of having been fired and punching through a bottle of liquid.
At only 15grns and made of no-bounce dead rubber, these are outstanding for close range practice at a range, in your back yard, etc… and could easily be captured in a home made or commercial bullet trap like those made for .22cals…based on the lack of any signs these two had been fired from a rifle and gone through drink bottles, my assumption is that they could be reused virtually indefinitely.
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